Ten months and five days later, it is Alexandar Georgiev’s turn.
As expected, the 24-year-old Rangers goalkeeper will be called up for Saturday’s Garden game against the Islanders. It will be Georgiev’s first game since March 11, a 3-2 loss in overtime to Colorado in his team’s last game before the end of the season. He did not play in the qualifiers against the Hurricanes.
“It was definitely the longest time,” said Georgiev, who supported Igor Shesterkin in the Islanders’ 4-0 loss at the season’s debut on Thursday. “It’s been a long time of hard work at the gym, keeping me mentally sharp since last season was suspended in March. From that moment on, it has been a different world for us. “
“There aren’t many games, but at the same time you try to make it as normal as possible. I tried to follow the same kind of routine out of season, but I only changed a few months. I’m super excited for hockey, I feel good on the ice and the muscle memory is there, so I’m not worried about it. “
Georgiev has started in six of the last nine Rangers games and nine of the last 15 regular season games last year. He went 7-6-1 in 14 games and 15 games in the calendar year, with an average of 2.81 goals scored and 0.911 percentage of saves.
Perhaps more to the point, Georgiev started all four games against the Islanders, going 3-1 with a GAA of 2.81 and a saving percentage of 0.920. while it shines in the victories of 42 rescues and 38 rescues in the Colosseum. The fact is that if Thursday’s match had not represented the opening of the season, Georgiev would almost certainly have received the mission.
Kevin Rooney, who needed help getting off the ice after being defeated without the puck by Ross Johnston at 6:37 in the third period on Thursday, did not skate on Friday. Although it is considered “day-to-day”, the center should not play on Saturday.
The collision was considered accidental by officials, who did not penalize Johnston. Then again, the referees did not penalize Johnston for a previous blow, in which he was tall and late at Filip Chytil in the middle of the second.
“With regard to the two blows, I thought Chytil’s was a little excessive and it certainly should have been a penalty that the league could have looked into,” said Rangers coach David Quinn. “And I want to give Johnston the benefit of the doubt with Rooney, I’m not 100 percent sure that he knew they were going to collide.” I don’t think he went hunting for heads like that and the move was below the collision, so maybe he was looking at the puck. “
Chris Kreider, who entered the season with a total of 12:25 on the penalty spot, played 2:45 on the unit on Thursday, while Pavel Buchnevich, with a total of 6:05 in his career, had 3:43 with a lack of players. The Blueshirts allowed power-play goals eight short times, with striker pair Rooney-Brett Howden in both.
“On the previous album, I don’t really think about it that much,” said Georgiev. “It is definitely a great team that we are facing. I have a lot of respect for the islanders. I just have to be sharp and ready and play my game. “